Taken
by Wordweaver452
Summary: Gwen is living in a chaotic, post apocalyptic world. Until one day she is kidnapped and taken to a strange, secret facility with a sinister purpose. Will she let them reform her thinking, or will she stand up for what she knows? Gwen and Duncan. Gwuncan. Also, at some point Trent and Cody come in too. Rated M for innuendo and just in case.
1. Captured

Gwen's POV

I walked down the empty street in the rain and kept my head down. The sun had set an hour ago. The street lights flickered and one died as I passed it. A chill wind blew and slapped rain against my face. I drew my black jacket tighter around me. A poster fluttered against the cracked pavement of the road, pinned there by the wet evening. A faded face and smudged print stared up from the street. Another missing poster. They were everywhere these days. So many people disappeared almost daily, not to mention the disease that racked the land, looters, and murderers. With no police, crime was rampant. It was dangerous to be out after dark. Like I was.

It wasn't intentional. I was combing the streets, the empty houses, the dead bodies lying in the street gutters, looking for money, food, clothes, blankets. My brother was sick, and my father had disappeared months ago. I'd lost track of time. And I'd found nothing.

I shivered, whether from rain or fear I didn't know. I didn't want my face to be on a missing paper. I crept closer into the shadows. I couldn't see anyone, but that didn't mean they weren't there. I thought of the pocketknife deep in a pocket of my black jeans. It wouldn't do much good against more than one person.

I still remember the day. It was only a few months ago, which was why the street lights still burned with no one to change them. The bombs had come. I don't know how many people survived, but not many in our town. And no one had come to establish leadership. whenever someone here tried, everyone else rebelled.

I laugh when I think of my old life. Back when I was carefree, in school, I had a boyfriend, my brother was fine, I dyed my hair... I miss that.

The sound of something scraping against the pavement jerked me from my thoughts. I froze, fear filling my body. My sharp eyes looked around the alley. No one was there. Must have been a rat. Even so, I walked faster, glancing over my shoulder. And then I started to run. I smacked into a large, dark form.

The person grabbed me, pinning my arms to my sides. I screamed as loud as I could, hoping to buy some time. No such luck. I struggled, kicking and yelling and throwing my fists back against my captor. I wasn't sure what they would do if they caught me, but I knew what they usually did with girls.

"Help!" I shouted to the empty street. Maybe there'd be someone in those falling down houses who would be brave enough to help. But I knew there wasn't. I threw my weight backwards and kicked again. I only managed in moving myself, and not the person. I twisted my head to look at them, my hair falling into my eyes. I got a good look of my kidnapper. all I saw was an iron face.

"Please!" I shouted to whatever was inside the metal helmet. "Please! My brother! Please!" I choked on my own words. Dread and grief twisted into my stomach and up my throat. This thing wasn't going to let me go. I kicked again, and thrashed around, finally freeing my arms. I punched and gasped in pain. The whole thing was metal. A metal suit. This wasn't a normal kidnapping. Suddenly, the thing dropped me. I hit the concrete hard on my left shoulder and cried out.

My black combat boots lashed out at the metal face leaning over me. Another one came from behind. I tried to stand up but a large metal hand pinned me back to the pavement. I spun and twisted, like a fish out of water. I felt a sharp prick in my right arm and turned my face towards it. The second metal person was holding a long needle full of neon blue liquid and pushing it into my arm. I felt a pulse beating hard there, like when I got cut sometimes. The blue liquid drained. I saw my veins, turning blue with whatever poison was inside.

I could only stare like an idiot until the needle came back out. Then I kicked and thrashed around again. The first metal person's hand was gone. I flipped my self onto my stomach and then up on my feet and took off. I could feel the poison numbing my arm. I had to get home before the rest of it took effect. I ran faster, but the world began to spin. Round and round the houses and the street. I stumbled and my vision blurred. I clutched my head in dizziness, trying to stabilize. The world spun faster. colors changed. Black dots swam through the air. Then the street was in the sky.

I barely felt myself falling. I was distant. The world around me was clouding over along with my own thoughts. I only recognized the black door and cracked steps of my house. So close. I tried to crawl forward, by the poison was paralyzing. "Mom!" I yelped. My own voice sounded like I was underwater. It felt hard to breathe. "Mom!" This time it was only a whisper. A black metal face appeared over me. My eyes involuntarily fluttered closed.

* * *

I felt a jolt. My eyes popped open. I couldn't see a thing. "I'm dead." I tried to whisper, but it came out a scratchy croak. My body was cramped, curled into a ball. One of my legs was twisting the wrong way. It felt numb. My eyes slowly adjusted to the dark. I could make out a dark green fabric thing all around me. I was in a sack. I wasn't dead. My shoulder, head, and arm still hurt. My veins weren't blue anymore at least. My head was throbbing. My vision still wasn't completely clear either.

I was tired, so tired. An inky blackness was fighting it's way back into my head. I couldn't think of anything. Questions and worries tried to form, but I was too drugged up for them. My eyelids grew heavy again. "Don't fall asleep." I whispered, twisting my wrist backwards to pinch my arm. I didn't even feel anything in that arm anymore. I didn't feel anything anywhere. With a start, I realized that my eyes had closed. I tried to pry them open again but they were glued shut. I felt sleep coming over me in a wave of blackness.

My head sunk under the water of unconsciousness and I was drowned by a dreamless sleep.


	2. Room X-13

Gwen's POV

The whole world was spinning when I next opened my eyes. Was I moving or was that just the meds? OW! I bumped my head hard against something. Slowly, I came to life again. My crusty eyes cracked open, but it was too dark to see. My arms and legs were completely numb. Suddenly, I heard a clicking sound, like a door mechanism. A kind of musty light seeped into the sack, and something took hold of it. I thought of fighting, but then remembered the metal men that grabbed me. Maybe if I played dead they wouldn't do anything to me.

"Get her out of the van!" A man's voice, a human voice, called out gruffly.

"Careful!" Another voice, a woman's, replied, "this one's special! We've been given orders!"

I could tell by the coldness of the hands holding me that it was the metal men again. I tried to hold completely still and take small breaths. Why couldn't I be unconscious now?

"Where do you want it?" A metallic sounding voice, laced with static, sounded right near my head, making me jump. I cursed under my breath and tried to be still again.

"The room." The woman's voice replied. "X-13 please! We'll delay her meeting with Mr. Mclean until he says."

Mr. Mclean? How did that sound familiar? No time for questions now, just strategy. Stay alive, Gwen.

"Your wish is our command Ms. O'Halleran." The robot replied. I was moving again, being bumped and jerked around. It was tempting to stick out an arm to level myself, but I stayed still. I tried to remember the way we went so I could escape. we walked down a long hall, and then turned right into a room that smelled like disinfectant. A baby cried. A baby? I didn't have time to ponder before we turned left onto a staircase. We stopped at a door, but I couldn't see which one from inside the sack. No matter, as long as we stopped here and I knew where the ground floor was.

The sack shifted, as did the cold hands, and I slid out into a blinding light. I snapped my eyes closed and winced. A metal hand grabbed my arm and wrenched me upwards until I was weaving desperately on my feet. Great Gwen, so much for playing dead. The white door in front of me opened. Something shoved me from behind and I stumbled drunkenly through the door way. The door slammed shut behind me, and I could hear it lock. Lovely. My eyes adjusted slowly to the less-sharp light of the room, then widened. I don't know what I expected. a robot factory, a cell, a torture chamber? This wasn't it.

I swept my eyes around the room. Beige walls, a T.V., a huge glass window looking down at a yard with a barbwire fence, a dresser, a bathroom, and a bed. I jumped when my eyes landed on the bed. someone was sitting on it. A teenager, with a green Mohawk. I recoiled, instantly thinking of what happened to most kidnapped girls. But this wasn't your ordinary kidnapping. Green Mohawk stood up and looked at me. I backed up until I was against the door, eyes wide.

"Hey." Mohawk greeted me...almost friendly. "I'm Duncan."

I stayed pressed against the wall, but the way he spoke had no hostility. "I'm G-Gwen." I stuttered softly. Maybe if I made friends with Duncan, he could help me escape. He must be prisoner too. "what's going on? I mean, where are...I mean, how..." I trailed off, an endless list of questions clotting in my brain. I started with the most obvious. "Who are you? Not your name, but..."

Duncan walked closer. I tensed. "You're an outsider, I guess." Duncan said. "I'll explain. I'm your partner."

"My what?" My forehead crinkled in confusion.

"Yeah, we're supposed to..." His eyes strayed to the bed, and he raised his eyebrows and sneered. "_You_ _know_...Every night until you have a kid." With those words, Duncan calmly took off his shirt.

My eyes were wide as saucers by now. I tried to wedge my self further against the wall, wishing I could dissolve into it. I felt sick. "NO! I won't!" The words sounded as scared as I felt, though I'd tried to make them brave.

Duncan said nothing, but put his shirt back on.

I stayed where I was, but relaxed a bit.

"Too bad Pasty," Duncan said in a teasing tone. "I was looking forward to it." He laughed, but his smile faded when he saw how terrified I was.

I was shaking so hard my teeth were knocking together. My breath stopped in my throat.

"Hey, it's ok." Duncan's voice was soothing now. he took another step toward me and reached out a hand. I shut my eyes and squeaked in terror like a five year old or a mouse. I could've kicked myself for being so weak. Duncan's hand landed on my shoulder. His grip was gentle but firm, and warm. I opened my eyes slowly and looked into his. They were big and blue and calming. "I won't make you do anything you don't want to." Duncan promised. "Trust me, I swear."

I said nothing. Could I trust him? Should I? Duncan took his hand off my shoulder and walked back to the bed. He picked up a magazine lying on a nightstand and flopped onto the bed. The magazine was labeled "Chris Mclean's Promise". Mclean again? I couldn't help but think of what Duncan had just promised. Was his promise like Mclean's?

I stepped away from the wall and walked over to the end of the bed, still tentative. "So...uh, this is a nice room."

Duncan snorted. "X-13? It's the worst one! I'm only here because I got in hot water with Chris."

"Chris? Chris Mclean?" I asked. "What's his deal? Is he the one who brought me here?"

Duncan sat up. "You don't know him?" Then he snorted. "Oh yeah, you're an outsider. Outsiders don't know anything."

I let the comment slide. I needed information. "Where are we? Why did they bring me here?"

Duncan rubbed his forehead as if he was annoyed. "I told you. They brought you here so we-"

"Not that!" I cut him off. "Why me? Where are we anyways? Who's Chris and what's he doing?"

"Ugh, don't ask so many questions, Pasty." Duncan grumbled, but he patted a spot on the bed next to him. Hesitantly, I sat down.

"We're in Chris Mclean's headquarters. He calls it a "home" but he also does a lot of his business here too. I don't know what he does, so don't ask. I don't know why they brought _you _here, but they bring in a lot of Outsiders."

"Outsiders? You used that word before."

"Yeah, people like you who are brought from outside this place."

I hesitated before asking the next question. Did I really want to know the answer? "And...you weren't?"

"Naw, born and raised here. By Chris, whenever he had time to visit us. Which wasn't often."

I cringed. Someone raised by Chris wasn't likely to help me escape. "Why does Chris need outsiders...and you? Why all these people? What's he up to?"

"All I know is what he put us here to do." He raised his eyebrows again.

"I'm not doing that!" I jumped up.

"Relax, I know that!" Duncan said, holding his hands out defensively. "Outsiders are always a little skittish. Especially about that."

"Well I'm not surprised!" I threw up my hands. "But I guess being raised here you wouldn't find...that...so strange."

"I don't get why _you _think it's so strange." Duncan replied.

"So I guess you've done it before?" I sounded a little angry. The notion of Duncan having...done that before made me uncomfortable. But what did I expect?

"No, you're my first partner. I'm sixteen. We start at sixteen."

"Well, I'm not. EVER." I put my hands on my hips to make it clear that the discussion was over.

"Whatever. I'm fine with that." Duncan leaned back against the pillows and half closed his eyes. "But you'll have to eventually or you'll get in trouble with Chris."

"What if they never find out?" I folded my arms. I wished we'd get off the subject.

"They will. Girls bleed, right?"

My eye widened. Again. I didn't answer that question. "What if I can't have kids?"

"You can. they wouldn't have taken you if you couldn't."

Exasperated, I pushed my hair back from my head. "It doesn't matter! I'm NEVER, EVER, doing that! I don't care if I get in trouble!"

"I know already!" Duncan put a pillow over his face.

"You wouldn't understand." I grumbled and turned away. I walked over to the dresser.

"Top drawer's mine." Duncan called from the bed. I moved my hand down to the second drawer and opened it. It was full of clothes. Seven folded sets of the same outfit. A black corset laced up in the back with green and blue sleeves, a black bra and purple underwear, a black mini skirt with blue stitched on pockets, and black stockings.

"These are your shoes." Duncan said from behind me. I jumped, dropping the clothes. Duncan held out a pair of green felt boots. I stooped over to grab the clothes.

"Why do I have seven pairs of the same clothes?" I asked.

"It's your uniform." Duncan informed me. "One pair for each day of the week. Day seven's washing day. You get one pair of shoes until you tear them up."

"Uniform?" I looked over Duncan's black t-shirt, baggy blue jeans, and red converse.

"Yeah, everyone wears something different, but we wear it every day. Chris wants us to feel some individuality, but he wants to easily tell who we are. You should probably put that on now."

I looked over the clothes in my hands. "Could you turn around?"

"Why? Oh, sure." Duncan walked over to the bed and flopped facedown into the pillows. I snickered and slipped out of my old dirty t-shirt and jeans and into the corset and mini skirt. I liked the outfit, but I couldn't do up the laces of the corset. I turned my head to look at the bed.

"Um...Duncan?"

"Yeah?" His muffled voice came from the pillows.

I blushed. "Could you...could you do up my laces?"

"Sure." Duncan flipped himself off the bed and walked over. My face got redder when he took the laces. His fingers brushed my spine, making me shiver. "there." He said when he'd finished.

I turned around. "How's it look?" It felt nice to have new, clean clothes.

Duncan swept his gaze over me. "Nice, Pasty."

I smiled for the first time in what felt like months. Duncan was alright. Maybe I could trust him, even if he was raised here.


	3. Mad Dash And White Doors

Gwen's POV

"When's breakfast?" I asked Duncan. I'd been reading Chris Mclean's magazines for the past ten minutes hoping to find some answers. No such luck. The magazines only stated what Duncan had told me.

"Breakfast?" Duncan laughed. "Uh, it's 12:30 sweet cheeks. You missed breakfast."

"Fine, when's lunch then?"

"1:00. Chris has Intern-bots bringing it."

Intern-bots? The metal men? "I don't know if I can wait that long." I joked. My stomach growled as if to prove my point. I was laying across the end of the bed, my feet hanging over the edge and my boots and leggings off. Duncan lay lengthwise, propped up on pillows, his bare feet stuck in my face.

"What do you do for fun around here?" I asked him. "Don't you have places you can go? You could show me around." All I really wanted was to find an escape route, but Duncan didn't need to know that.

"Uh, no." Duncan stated in a condescending tone, as if that was a ridicules question. "We stay in our rooms until two, when we get our exercise time." He gestured to the window looking out onto the yard with the fence around it.

"Just great." I grumbled. Then there was a knock on the door.

"Lunch already?" Duncan mumbled, surprised. He swung himself off the bed and opened the door. A blonde woman in a red dress was standing there. Duncan jumped. "Ms. O'Halleran!" He yelped. "Come in!" He seemed a bit scared of her.

"Thank you Duncan, I will." Ms. O'Halleran said, brushing him aside. Then she saw me laying across the bed with my legs bare. "I'm sorry to interrupt you two." She said with a smile, glancing at Duncan's bare feet. My face went scarlet. "But I need Gwen to come with me. Just a little talk with Chris!" She smiled brightly, but I saw through it. She hadn't brought any Intern-bots with her; maybe this was my chance to escape!

"You'd better go with her." Duncan whispered to me, pulling me to my feet and handing me my shoes. "She's worse than Chris."

I put my shoes on and walked out the door with Ms. O'Halleran, who immediately took my hand in a tight grip. "I'm Ms. O'Halleran to most," she told me, "but you can call me Blaineley!" Her voice sounded as false sweet as vinegar disguised as honey.

We walked down the hall, her pulling me along in such a firm grip that my arm hurt. We got onto the staircase. Now! I yanked my arm away and pushed Blaineley backwards. She tripped over the stairs and fell. I took off, taking the stairs three at a time. I reached the bottom and skidded to a halt, slamming into the door. I yanked it open. No alarms were going off yet. was I clear? I rushed out into the hallway, and racked my brain for the way we came. In the distance, I could see a pair of Intern-bots patrolling the hall. Screw it! I ducked into the nearest door.

A couple lay in a bed. A girl with green eyes and a blonde ponytail, and a boy with blonde hair and blue eyes, about my age. They pulled the blankets up over their not so clothed bodies, covering themselves. My face flushed and I backed up to the door, reaching for the handle.

"Sorry, wrong room!" I managed to squeak out before I yanked open the door and dashed into the hall again. The intern-bots were nowhere to be seen. I ran down the corridor, not even trying to remember the way I'd come before. I jumped into another room, this one holding two fully clothed individuals. A brown haired, dark skinned girl and a black haired, green eyed boy.

I slammed the door behind me and leaned against it. "Please!" I gasped, struggling to catch my breath. "Please! You have to hide me!" They were both staring at me, wide eyed. _Don't just stand there!_ I wanted to shout. _Do something! _The brown haired girl ran towards me and tried to shove me back out the door.

"Wait Courtney!" The black haired boy said. Courtney didn't wait.

"We don't need trouble here!" She snapped at me, opening the door and thrusting me into the hall.

"Wait!" I shouted, but she slammed the door in my face. I was tired, and my lungs were burning, but I started running again. The doors all looked the same, and I didn't want to risk another Courtney. Then, near the end of the long white hall, I saw a slightly faded, dusty door with a few water stains. I jerked on the handle with all my might. It was locked.

I could hear faint metallic sounds from around a bend in the hallway. The Intern-bots were coming back! I was dead! So dead! I tried the door again, though I knew it was hopeless. I braced my feet against the floor and leaned back, pulling with my entire weight on the handle. There was a faint sucking sound, like a suction cup being pulled off a wall, and the door gave and flew open, sending me flying. I scrambled to my feet and into the room, slamming the door behind me and leaning back against it.

I sucked in huge, ragged gulps of air, my chest heaving. The room looked like it had once been used like Duncan's and mine. the furniture was dusty and the glass of the window was stained. Maybe I'd be safe in here until night, after they would think I had already gone. I couldn't help but think of Duncan. Could I really just leave him? But maybe he liked it here. Or maybe not.

I didn't have time to think anymore before the door was yanked open so suddenly I fell onto the hallway floor. Before I could take in my situation, two cold metal hands grabbed my arms with such force that I cried out, and jerked me upwards. My feet dragging on the ground, they pulled me along the hallway and around the bend until we came to an elevator. They pushed a button and we began going up.

"Prisoner has been neutralized." One spoke into it's wrist. I gulped. I was in for it now. I didn't have time to get anxious before the elevator doors opened strait into a dark room. The only light was over a small desk. And sitting in large black leather chair behind it was a face too familiar from ten minutes and 30 magazines. Chris Mclean.


	4. Drowning In Hot Water

"Tsk. Tsk. Tsk." Chris Mclean greeted me. "You should no that this is no way to enter my room, Gwen. I must admit, it was stupid of you to think we wouldn't have cameras."

The Intern-bots forced me into a fabric armchair in front of the desk. I didn't resist. What would be the point? They'd catch me. "How do you know my name?"

Chris laughed in response. "Oh, we know everything about you, Gwen."

"What are you playing around?" I snarled. "Tell me!"

"What, and spoil the surprise?" Chris faked being shocked. "She really is stupid, Chef." Chris spoke to the shadows. I squinted and could just make out a hulking, swarthy figure. "Maybe catching her wasn't worth the little fight she put up."

I wanted to hit him, but what good would that do? "If you knew I was escaping, why didn't you set off an alarm?"

"Why would we warn you?" Chris laughed. "Anyway, 'escaping' isn't quite the word for it, Gwennie." He laughed again and pretended to wipe a tear from his eye.

I dug my fingers into the fabric of my armchair to keep from striking him. "Why did you bring me here?"

"Just a little chat." Chris answered. "Friend to friend."

"Friend?" My voice was oozing with sarcasm. I hated Chris. Hated him for every person he'd taken who had a family, every person he'd raised with no chance of a real life.

"It seems to me, Gwen," Chris continued. I shivered, hearing my name in his mouth. "That you don't like my little home here."

I said nothing. Chris got up and stood by my chair. I refused to look at him.

"It's nice though isn't it? Soft bed, clean clothes?" Chris bent over until his face was next to mine. It took all of my control not to punch him. "And what about your friend Duncan?"

I jumped when he said Duncan's name. "What about him!?"

"You like him don't you? Why not stay here? Don't you like this better than looking after a sick brother?" Chris wove his fingers under my chin and tilted my face to look at his. I slapped his hand away.

Chef took a step forward and struck me across the face with the back of his hand. I cried out and put a hand to my stinging cheek.

Chris turned away. "Take her to her room Chef." He ordered coldly. "I'll see her in again tomorrow. I have business to attend to now. She'll warm up to us. They always do."

Chef grabbed me and forced me upwards, twisting one arm behind my back and holding it. I clenched my teeth. They wouldn't see me cry. Ever.

* * *

The walk back to Room X-13 was too short. I was still shaking when Chef pushed me through the door. The other doors hadn't been locked. Just mine.

Duncan was laying on the bed, a tray of sandwiches and iced tea balanced on his chest. He greeted me without looking up. "Hey babe, how'd it go?"

"Nothing happened really." I tried to sound indifferent, but my voice must have shook because Duncan looked up. I quickly put a hand over my bruised cheek, but I wasn't fast enough.

Duncan jumped up, nearly spilling the tea and sandwiches. "What happened!?"

I turned my face away from him. "I fell."

"Are you ok? Let me see." Duncan took my hand and lowered it from my cheek, revealing the red mark, now turning blue and purple. "Where'd you fall?"

"I...I tripped going down the stairs." I don't know why I lied. What would Duncan have said if I'd told him the truth? I was definitely in hot water with Chris now...swimming in it.

"Wow. man, I bet that sucked. Here, they brought lunch, sit down." He led me by the hand as if all of me was injured instead of just my face and sat me down on the bed, handing me a sandwich.

"Thanks." I murmured half guiltily and bit into the sandwich. It tasted so good, better than the measly stale crumbs I had to live on before.

Duncan sat down beside me and took a sip from the tea and made a face. "I hate iced tea."

"What's on the T.V.?" I asked.

Duncan shrugged. "Eh, just nature documentaries. Not really my thing."

"Jeez! what do you do for fun around here?"

"I don't know about the other people, but I usually spend my time getting in trouble with Chris." Duncan laughed.

"Oh yeah?" I smiled. "What do you do?"

"Carve walls, spray paint Intern-bots..." Duncan snickered.

"That actually sounds kinda fun."

"I don't know...I just get so bored."

I finished off one sandwich and took another. "Is that why you're in this room?"

Duncan looked away. "Yeah, I guess...I'll tell you about it later." He picked at some bread crumbs on the silver sandwich tray.

I could sense he didn't want to talk about it. I reached for my iced tea at the same time as Duncan. Our hands collided, spilling our glasses all over Duncan's shirt.

"Aw crud!" Duncan jumped up and looked angrily at his shirt.

"Crap! I'm sorry!" I yelped.

Duncan walked over to the dresser. "Great, now I need another shirt." He called teasingly over his shoulder. "Thanks Pasty." He pulled his shirt off over his head, exposing his back. My eyes widened. Scarring his skin were three long, fresh-looking cuts. They looked like whip marks.

"Duncan..." I whispered. Maybe I'd been lucky to have Chef hit me.

"Yeah?" Duncan turned his head.

"What happened?" I asked dazedly. "Your scars..."

Duncan turned his head away from me. "None of your business." His voice was sharp.

"You said you would tell me-"

"Not about that I didn't." He wouldn't look at me.

"Come on!"

"Not about that Gwen!" He turned to me and shouted. I jumped. He took his shirt and went into the bathroom, slamming the door behind him.

I looked at my hands. It wasn't just me, this whole place was in hot water with Chris. Drowning in it.


	5. Lullaby Of A Storm

_**Sorry the last chapter was so short. That's just how it turned out! But this one will be longer. :) BTW thank for all the great reviews!**_

* * *

Gwen's POV

Blaineley came to take us outside a half hour later. She had already sent the other couples down. Of course I was last. She smiled when Duncan opened the door, the same fake sweet smile she'd used on me.

Outside, the sun was peering around dark clouds. People were milling about everywhere in the large yard. A few groups of girls had formed, and a few couples were sitting together and laughing. I recognized one of the couples as the two blondes I'd walked in on. I avoided their eyes. The brown haired girl, Courtney, was yelling at the black haired boy. A rather large blonde boy was sitting under a tree, and above him a red-head was swinging through the branches. A brown haired, dark skinned boy was talking to the large one.

The entire yard was covered by grass that looked too green to be real. Surrounding the yard was a forbidding chain link fence. It was at least 3 people high, with curling razor wire stretching down it and over the top. No escape route that way. There were several trees there too, but nothing too fancy. And of course they grew far from the fence.

Duncan flopped down under one of these trees and flicked out a knife. Grinning, he began carving and hacking into the tree bark.

"How do you sneak that around?" I asked, pointing to the knife.

Duncan laughed. "Easy." He flicked the knife closed and slipped it in a small slit cut into the side of his converse.

"Clever." I complimented.

Duncan smiled and pulled out the knife, cutting into the tree again. When he finished, the words "Chris Mclean sucks!" were screaming out from the bark. "That oughta get under his skin." Duncan chuckled.

I paled. Would Chris hit Duncan...or worse? "G-good one." I liked pulling pranks as much as any one else, but before, the punishment at its worse was a night in the slammer. No injuries. "How'd you get that knife in the first place?"

"Eh, stole it from Chef." Duncan chuckled again. "That's Chris's dumb bodyguard. And who makes the food. Well, he did until D.J. volunteered."

"D.J.?" I inquired, sitting down next to Duncan.

"Yeah, one of the guys. He's not totally obnoxious. He saved us from Chef's awful cooking at least."

I chuckled a bit, for Duncan's amusement, but I wasn't thinking of D.J.'s cooking. My mind was back home with my brother. He must be worse by now. How could Mom find food and care for him by herself? I had to get out of here.

Duncan went on talking, but I tuned him out. Escape...how? The doors were locked, there were cameras and fences...I needed to know more. Was there a time when everyone was asleep and cameras were turned off or unattended? Not likely. Maybe I could volunteer in the kitchen, if it was near a way out... What did they do if you got pregnant? I would never do that...only as a last resort. This was life or death! Maybe I could get someone on the inside to help me... Blaineley or Chef? Never! Maybe I could tear out some wires of an Intern-bot and it would obey me? Too sci-fi. I'm not that smart. Maybe someone they trusted, like D.J. Or Duncan. But they didn't trust Duncan _that_ much, and I didn't even know who D.J. _was, _let alone how to get in touch with him to plan an escape without getting caught. What was I going to do?

Thunder cracked nearby so loudly that I jumped. Thunder?

"Oh man this sucks!" Duncan shouted, jumping up. I felt a drop of rain on my arm and looked up. The sky was rapidly turning a dark gray.

Blaineley appeared in front of the entrance to the building. "So sorry everyone!" She said. Her false voice made my skin prickle. "It look's like we'll have to cut our activities short today!" There were grunts of disapproval from the others. "Chris can do a lot of things," Blaineley continued, "but he can't change the weather." Grumbling and protesting, everyone began heading toward the entrance. They obeyed too quickly for my taste.

"Coming?" Duncan looked down at me. I jumped. I was out of it today.

"Yes, coming..." I stood up and brushed the grass of my skirt. The perfect, fake blades of grass.

* * *

Inside the room, rain drizzled onto the window pane against the background of a gray sky. At least the sky here was the same. And the time of day. It was growing dark out. Duncan and I had spent the rainy evening reading those stupid magazines, and I had drawn on them, making funny sketches of Chris to lighten the gloomy mood, and making Duncan laugh.

"Your pajamas are in the bottom drawer." Duncan told me from where he lay on the bed. His only pajamas were his boxers.

I finished brushing my teeth, spit into the sink, and walked over to the dresser. The pajamas were loose black pants and a baggy black shirt. I walked into the bathroom and shut the door. No way was I changing in front of Duncan again. I slipped out of my corset and into my pajama shirt. mmmmmmm... How long was it since I'd slept in a proper pair of pajamas? too long. I pulled off my skirt and stockings and slipped on my pants. Even more comfortable.

I looked down at myself. I probably didn't look my best in these pajamas...but who was I trying to impress? As if I didn't know! Who says I have to like a guy to impress him? I wouldn't have dressed nice for school if I did. I looked into the small mirror over the sink, but it didn't tell me what I wanted to know. I looked awful! There were bags under my eyes, and dark rings. The red mark on my cheek had swollen and turned into a big blue and purple bruise. My hair was stringy and unruly, and my black roots were showing above my hair dye.

I sighed and ran a hand through my hair like a makeshift comb until it at least all went the same direction, and cupped water into my hands and splashed it onto my face. Satisfied, I turned away and walked out, turning off the light behind me. The window was now almost entirely dark, and rain was blowing into it harder, propelled by the wind. Darkness fell fast here, wherever that was. How long had I been unconscious before we arrived? Hours? Days?

The lights were already off, and Duncan was wrapped up in the blankets. It was only then that I noticed the problem. I was so stupid not to have seen it before that I could have slapped myself. "Duncan?" I whispered tentatively.

"_What_?" His voice came from the pillows, sounding tired and very annoyed.

"There's only one bed..."

"Oh my god Gwen!" Duncan whisper-shouted. "Who _cares_!?"

"Well..." I bit my lip and slipped underneath the covers, trying to stay on the left side as much as I could. The bed felt nice. Warm, safe, comfortable. I'd given my blankets to my sick brother... This was nice. If only I could bring my family here too, maybe living under Chris's rule would be worth all this. I felt sleep creep up my legs, but I welcomed it this time. Thunder rumbled in the distance, and rain pattered against the window like a lullaby. A lullaby of a storm. I felt safer here, behind a closed door and under covers. In my own home I'd wake up at every sound, worrying of looters. And Duncan was here too. How much having another person around could stifle your fears! If only I could bring my family here...

Sleep crept up behind my eyelids and into my brain. Oh yes, if only... If only...

* * *

Chris Mclean's POV

I walked down the dark corridor and to the elevator. My beautiful home glimmered best at night. Ah yes, a love of night. Something my daughter inherited from me. But I didn't want to think of her just now. I had other business. Crushing a spirit. The elevator opened into my office. Chef stood in the shadows behind my chair, as usual, and Blaineley sat on the desk.

"What are you going to do about her?" Blaineley asked, looking over her nail polish.

"I'll see her in tomorrow." I answered. "One more try before we have to use...other tactics." A fire was burning in my hearth, the way I liked it. I loved fire. It destroyed the fastest. I liked to destroy. Why shouldn't I? Something destroyed me once.

"I don't think she'll stay on her own." Blaineley stated.

"That's why I leave the other options open." I replied. "Besides, you must admit it's a tempting little setup we have here. Especially given her past life?" I walked over to my desk and picked up a framed photograph. Gwen's mom, the little tart herself. Gwen didn't know how deep our connection went.

"She'll never agree." Chef argued. "She loves her family too much."

"That's just the point, Chef." I said, walking over to the fire. "She'll come around, oh yes." I threw the picture of Gwen's mom into the blaze, watching the flames blacken the face and crack the glass. "She'll come around. They all love someone."

* * *

_**I know what you're thinking: Chris' Daughter?! Yes, just bear with me. all will be explained. **_


	6. The Strange Glimmer

_**Sorry I couldn't update sooner! My computer busted! Oh, Zo, London, and Molly are the concept of Dawn, Dakota, and Zoey. I liked them so much I included them!**_

* * *

Gwen's POV

"Wake up. Gwen, wake up." a guy's voice cut through my sleep. My brother? Must've been. he sounded weird, though.

I shivered from fear and relief and tried to remember the dream. I couldn't see anything but a burning redness, and then a cold black sky. And the fear. I remembered the fear.

"Gwen, wake up!" someone shook my shoulders. "We're missing breakfast!"

I groaned and rolled onto my side. My train of thought was gone. Wait, this wasn't my bed. I sat up, snapping my eyes open. And I remembered. I felt a weight fall back onto my shoulders.

"Come on, get dressed." Duncan ordered me, throwing my clothes in my face. "Breakfast is in five minutes. We need to be at roll call or they'll send out a search party. And that's never good."

I grumbled disapprovingly, but took my clothes and went into the bathroom. I didn't miss Duncan rolling his eyes as I did so. I slipped on my clothes, glancing dissprovingly at my hair, which was in desperate need of re-dyeing.

"Hurry up Gwen!" Duncan called.

I shrugged my shoulders at my ugly reflection and walked out of the bathroom. "Hey Duncan." I asked, "Is there a way I could re-dye my hair?"

"Oh yeah," Duncan replied casually, going to the door. "I'll ask Chris for some hair dye." He pulled on the door handle. To my surprise, the door swung open. They must have unlocked it last night while I was sleeping.

"Doesn't Blaineley have to come get us?" I asked.

"Naw," Duncan replied. "Besides, I know my way to the dining hall. They only escorted you around yesterday because it was your first day here." We continued walking side by side down the long hall until we reached the staircase.

"Is the dining hall on the ground floor?" I asked as nonchalantly as possible.

"Yeah." Duncan answered. "Why?"

"Oh, just wondering." I avoided Duncan's eyes. Should I ask him if he wanted to come with me? No. It was too risky. I hated to leave him though...

Duncan pushed open a large white door with a round glass window and slid into place next to the blonde guy i'd walked in one and a large brown skinned guy.

"Y'all just made it." The dark skinned guy said to Duncan. As if on cue, Chris walked in, followed by his liege, Blaineley and Chef.

"Stand still for roll call!" Chef ordered gruffly. I recognized him as the man who's voice I'd heard upon my arrival.

Blaineley took out a clipboard and stood in front of the row of people. "Alejandro?" She called.

"Present." A tall, incredibly hot guy with a Spanish accent answered.

"Anne Maria?"

"Here!" A brown haired, tan girl with a Jersey accent replied.

"B.?" Blaineley looked up from her list. A dark skinned, large boy raised a hand. "Very good B." Blaineley responded. She went down the list. "Beth?"-"Here"-"Brick?"-"Reporting for duty!"-"Bridgette? (Here was the other blonde I'd walked in on.)"-"Here"-"Cameron?"-"here"-"Cody?"-"Here"-"Cou rtney?"

I jumped at the name Courtney. I didn't like her. She'd pushed me out.

"Present!" Courtney called out in an obnoxious, goody-goody voice.

"Dakota?" Blaineley continued.

"Here!"

"Dawn?"

A sing song, soft voice answered. "Present."

"D.J?"-"Here"-"Duncan?"

Once again, I jumped at a name I recognized.

"Here Babe." Duncan sneered.

Blaineley scowled and continued. "Eva?"-"Here"-Ezekial?"-"Here"-"Geoff?"-"Here"-"Gw en?"

I tensed up. "Here." My voice cracked. I waited for Chef to look up, or for Chris to glance at my bruised cheek, or for Blaineley's eyes to linger on me. They did nothing. They acted as if I was another face in the crowd.

Blaineley went on without hesitation. "Harold?"-Here"-"Heather?"-Here"-"Izzy?"-"Here! HAHAHA! YAY! FISHSTICKS!"-"Jo?-"Here"-"Justin?"-"Here"-"Katie?" -"Here"-"Leshawna?"-"Leshawna's in the house!"-"Lightning?"-"sha-Here!"-"Lindsay?"-"what? Oh me! Me! Pick me!"-"London?"-"Here"-"Mike?"-"Here"-"Molly?"-"Her e"-"Noah?"-"Whatever."-"Owen?"-"Woo Hoo!"-"Sadie?"-"here"-"Sam?"-"here"-"Scott?"-"Here "-"Sierra?"-"Here! EEEH!"-"Staci?"-"Here! You know, my great, great, great grandma-"-"Trent?"-"Here"-"Tyler?"-"Here"-Zo?"-Her e"- "Zoey?"-"Here."

"Very good, everyone's here." Blaineley concluded. "You may go to breakfast."

Everyone moved to the tables around the room. They reminded me of my high school lunch room. D.J. slid into a seat beside Duncan. I didn't know where else to sit, so I sat between Duncan and a girl with blood-red hair...Zoey I think was her name.

"What's for breakfast today?" Duncan asked D.J.

"Y'all know I'm not supposed to tell you." D.J. replied. "Who's this?" He pointed at me and I blushed.

"This is Gwen." Duncan introduced me.

"Someone's first partner?" D.J. laughed. "I was worried that Chris would make you wait another year because of...what you did."

"Uh, yeah." Duncan looked down at the table top.

"Nice to meet you, Gwen." D.J. held out his hand. I shook it warily.

"Uh, hey! Food!" Duncan seemed to not want D.J. to talk to me. Others were getting up to get their trays of food. I jumped up.

"I'll get our food guys." I had to see where the kitchen led to. Maybe outside. I nervously followed one of the others to a silver countertop with trays of food on it. I uneasily picked up two, one in each hand. Were they assigned or could I just grab them?

Something glinted out of the corner of my eye. I turned around, half expecting to see one of those intern-bots. I peered through the kitchen. Oh, just a knife set. **_AND A WINDOW!_**I nearly dropped the trays I was holding. I cast a quick glance around. No one. I ducked through the door to the kitchen and abandoned the trays of food on a nearby table top. I tiptoe-ran over to the window and peered out. It led into the fenced area of the yard. I could probably get out of there...I could work something out.

I touched the window pane cautiously, listening for an alarm of some sort. Nothing. I braced my palm flat against the glass and pushed. The window opened with a suction breath and my face was hit with hot air. success. But it wasn't over yet. I lifted one knee up over onto the counter and pushed up, bracing my hands against the marble tabletop.

"Hey!" a gruff voice. I whirled around, nearly falling off the counter.


	7. Secrets in the Dark

**Gwen's POV**

I almost fell off the countertop. I slipped down as quickly as I could, although I knew I was busted. Completely, insanely busted. "Wow, aheh, it's hot in here." I fanned a hand in front of my face in a pathetic attempt to not get caught. "I was just getting some air."

I turned around and forced myself to take slow steps and not dash right out of there. I could feel Chef's eyes boring into me. He'd be watching me close from now on. I'd have to lay low.

As I pass the counter I laid the food on, I pick up the trays and continue on my way. As soon as the kitchen door swings shut behind me, the tension I hadn't realized I'd been holding released.

"Hey Gwen!" Duncan called from the table, startling me. "What took you so long?"

"Sorry Duncan...I, uh, fell." I faked a smile and sat down beside Duncan and D.J., setting down their food. I looked at the tray in front of me. Biscuits and bacon and Danishes. Typical breakfast foods. I pick up the Danish and take a tentative bite. The baked good melts in my mouth, releasing an explosion of cherry cheese flavor on my tongue.

"Mmmm..." I licked my lips. "D.J., did you make these?" I turn to him, my eyes filled with admiration.

D.J. shrugged. "It's nothing. Just a little recipe I learned experimenting in the kitchen."

"Dude, it's great!" Duncan says through a mouthful of crumbs. I flinch as some of them spray toward me.

Suddenly, a realization hits me, and I am instantly chilled to the bone. I don't know what I thought the people here were like. Zombies? Robots? Institutionalized nutcases? It would have been easier if they were. But these are real people. I shiver.

"You ok?" Duncan glances my direction.

"I'm just cold." I mumble, staring at my plate. Duncan. Duncan is a real person. He likes green hair and hard rock. He carries a pocket knife. How strange is that? It isn't. And now I don't know what to think about this place, or it's residents.

Now I can't even touch my food, despite how good D.J.'s cooking is. That only makes my mind turn worse.

* * *

I ended up smuggling my untouched breakfast into the room via my large blue pockets. I knew I'd want it later. Duncan nearly swallowed his food whole. I think he would have if not for it tasting so good. And now I was back stuck in the room with nothing to do, only my boiling over thoughts.

I was sitting on the other side of the bed from Duncan, who was carving faces of other residents into the wall with his knife. My knees were drawn up to my chest and my rested on them. It was terrifying me, the thought that this place might be _home _for someone. Duncan grew up in this awful place. With no other future than to breed.

"Well, you're awfully quiet pasty." Duncan teased.

It wasn't the time for teasing. "Leave me alone!" I snap, without realizing how it sounds. I bite my lip instantly.

"Fine, whatever." Duncan's tone is cold. "Just trying to make stuff a little less boring than it is."

"Sorry, I didn't mean to snap at you." I uncurl my knees and lay down. "Could you close the blinds? The sun's giving me a headache." I don't think it's the sun that's doing it, but I've always felt more comfortable in darkness.

"Sure vampiress." Duncan puts his knife down and presses a button on the wall that I hadn't noticed before. A humming sound comes from inside the room's walls and another layer of beige wall slides in place over the window. Instant pitch darkness befalls the room.

"Thanks. That's better." I say, nestling my head into the pillows. I can't stop thinking of this place. Of how horrible it must have been to grow up here. And how I might have to grow old here.

"For you maybe." Duncan complains. "I can't see a thing." But I can tell from his voice that he doesn't really mind.

I close my eyes, though it doesn't matter, and try to force myself into sleep. I fell a heavy thump beside me and Duncan's hand briefly brushes my forehead. I can almost feel him trying to make out my face through the dark.

"Gwen, what's on your mind?" He says, his breath warm over my face. It makes a strange, tingling feeling come over my stomach. Not unpleasant.

"What do you mean?" I ask him, although I'm really more focused on the sensation now spreading from my stomach to my fingertips. I don't know why, but the notion of Duncan beside me in bed hits me different from how it did yesterday.

"I can tell when something's on someone's mind. You're being so quiet and not all whiny." He chuckles.

My face heats up. "It's nothing." I don't know why I say that instead of "there's nothing." Now he's going to demand I tell him.

"Aha! I knew it." he replies. "Tell me."

"I meant to say there's nothing." I try to recover.

"Allright fine, if you don't want to talk I'm cool." He turns away. "I hate hearing about chick drama anyway."

Everything goes quiet again. I still can't see anything in this darkness. I guess that's what made me brave enough to ask him. "Where'd you get those scars?" It slips out of my mouth before I have a chance to think.

Duncan stiffens beside me so instantly that I jump. "Why do you want to know so badly?!" He yells.

I bite my lip and try to sink into the bed. "I...I don't...I mean...I'm sorry-" I whimper.

Duncan sighs, long and loud. "Fine. I'll tell you how I got the scars if you'll tell me what's on your mind."

"Deal." I answer, just glad he isn't completely mad.

"Ok." Duncan pauses. For a second I think he's going to back out and not tell me. Then he continues. "It was Chris. And Courtney. You probably haven't met her."

I only nod, but I do remember her.

"Well, I guess maybe I was going to cut the fence or something." Duncan coughs. "I guess maybe I wanted to take Courtney with me. We were going to be partners. I guess we already liked each other. I guess Courtney told Chris. I think maybe she didn't know what would happen. Maybe she just liked it here and didn't want to leave. I guess Chris..." He stopped. "Had me punished." His voice cracks, but he covers it up by clearing his throat.

I should've known it was Chris. That was why Duncan had been so concerned about me coming back from Chris's visit with a bruise on my face.

"Now tell me what's on your mind." Duncan's voice is back to normal. None of his story seems to remain in him.

"I told you, nothing's on my mind." I reply. But something is. Duncan tried to run away. He tried to leave. I smile, not sure completely why.

"Hey, that's not fair!" Duncan yells playfully. "We had a deal!" He swings a pillow in my direction. It misses my face and crashes down on my back. Duncan's arm remains draped around my waist.

"Goodnight Gwennie." He mumbles. I can hear the tiredness in his voice. I don't say anything, because his breathing slows and I can tell he's asleep.

_I'll have to wake him for lunch. _I think to myself.

* * *

**_sorry, another long time between updates. I'll try to get this rolling again soon. Anyways, review please! _**


	8. A Bloody Mess

Gwen's POV

I woke up shortly after I fell asleep, or it didn't feel like a long time. Duncan was still asleep. I think he was more tired than I was. I didn't want to turn on the light, so I slipped out of the covers quietly and blindly. My boots were still on. I took one step and knocked into the bedside table.

"Oof!" I yelped, then slapped a hand over my mouth. Duncan mumbled something, but didn't stir. I stumbled toward the general direction of the bathroom and opened the door. I made sure it was closed before I flipped on the light.

I looked into the tiny mirror above the sink. I still hadn't re-dyed my hair, but my eyes were back to the usual instead of dark and baggy. I looked better. My cheeks had filled in a bit; my eyes were brighter. I yawned and stretched. The time had to be before lunch. I would've woken up if someone had knocked.

I sat down to use the toilet and pulled down my skirt, and almost screamed.

Blood coated the fabric of my underwear. My face went cold. Not now! Why now!? I wiped a shaky hand over my forehead. What could I do? Stay calm. It's only your second day here...they wouldn't expect you to have...yet. I was fine.

I gulped and took deep breaths. I grabbed a wad of toilet paper and shakily wrapped it around the inside of my underwear. It could work... I'd just have to wash them with soap before anyone saw.

A thought briefly flickered into my mind that I should tell Duncan, and my face flushed. Why would I do that? Completely inappropriate! Besides, he wouldn't know what to do about it either.

I pulled my skirt back on, for once wishing I'd have gotten pants instead. But at least I had tights, right?

When I came back out of the bathroom, Duncan was sitting up, and the lights were on. "Has lunch come yet?" Duncan's voice cracked with tiredness.

"No." I answered. I forced my voice to be normal. "I didn't hear a knock."

Duncan ran a hand through his messy Mohawk. For some reason, it made me blush and smile. He blinked the sleepiness away and looked at me. I avoiding looking into his eyes.

"So, Pasty, I was thinking you could have a handle in my latest prank." Duncan stretched, then looked at me again.

"Sure, sounds like fun..." I was distracted, not really listening.

"We're gonna put a mousetrap in Chris's food." Duncan chuckled.

"How will we do that?" I sat down on the bed. I felt exposed standing up.

"D.J. can get us in the kitchen," Duncan explained, "and then we'll just slip it in his sandwich. Mousetraps are all over the kitchen."

"Won't D.J. get in trouble?" I asked.

"Naw," Duncan scoffed. "Mclean always knows its me."

I chuckled halfheartedly, for Duncan's sake. There was a knock on the door then, catching me off guard. Duncan got up first, so I let him get the door. It was Blaineley again, smiling that smile, holding a tray with hot pizza slices and brownies.

"A special treat for our special girl." She said. her voice made me sick. I walked over and stood beside Duncan and took the tray from Blaineley. She gave no sign of me having pushing her off the stairs.

"Thank you." I mumbled politely. I kept my eyes down. Blaineley smiled even wider, if it was possible, and left, closing our door. I didn't miss the click of a lock.

"Nice, Pasty." Duncan said, taking two brownies in one hand, "Scoring us goodies." He flopped onto the bed again and stuffed one whole brownie square into his mouth, making his cheeks puff out. I laughed and sat down beside him, also taking a brownie. I didn't bit into it though, just turned it around and around in my hand, like it was a card with all the answers.

"Thumwun's deewp in thought." Duncan said around his brownie. "Newva met anywon didn'n take bwownies afor." Crumbs sprayed toward me again and I used them as an excuse not to tell, shoving Duncan's shoulder playfully and scolding.

"Don't you have any music around here?" I asked. I hadn't listened to music since...well, since before the bombs.

"On Chris Mclean day we do." Duncan answered, now having swallowed his brownie. "He lets us make requests to play, but they're broadcast to the whole building."

"This place is so lame." I mumbled. I finally caved and took a tiny nibble off the brownie.

"So," Duncan swallowed the second brownie. "You in for the prank?"

I'd like to poison Chris. But I don't say that. "Absolutely!"

"Good. 'cause as soon as they let us down for dinner, we're getting in the kitchen."

Even with everything going on, I'm still _so _bored. I let myself fall back onto the bed, with my knees hanging over the side, and moaned in frustration. "I'm so bored!"

"I know what you mean." Duncan laid down next to me. "At least when we were younger we had a play area. But now the only thing to do is..."

He trailed off, and I shivered, knowing what he meant.

We sit there in silence for what feels like forever. I'd have given anything to see what he was so thoughtful about. He must have known I was looking at him, because he turned to look at me. Our eyes meet and I'm blushing again. Stupid.

And suddenly an idea came over me so fast I almost said it immediately. I'm gonna tell him. I want to tell him. Then we can escape together and go back to my family and Duncan can stay with us and...and...and what? Live the rest of our lives scrounging for food in alleys waiting to be killed? Even this boring institutionalized facility was better than what I had at home. I almost want to stay. If I could only bring my family here. But then I remember what couples across the halls are doing. I would have to do that. My brother would have to do that. My mom...well, I didn't see anyone over 30 the whole time I'd been here. No, I can't stay here. Even if the food is good and there's Duncan staying with me and a comfortable bed and medicine...But I'm still gonna do it.

"Duncan," I take a deep breath. "I want to get out."

* * *

_**Sorry It's not very long. The main thing that was going to happen in this chapter was Gwen's morning discovery, so I didn't have much more to do with this one. Trust me, it's all part of the plan. What do you think Duncan should say to Gwen? Who do you think Chris' daughter is? Review please, thank you. **_


	9. An Open Window

**Chris's POV**

I sit down at my desk. The papers are piled up in front of me. I leaf through them quickly until I see the picture. I pull the file from the rest and lay it flat. I smooth it out with my palm and, with shaking fingers, open it. My eyes skim quickly over the picture with the shimmering green Mohawk and down the page. Height, age, information, allergies... There. My eyes grapple onto the lines of red ink. I read them in the dim firelight. The red ink hurts more than I thought it would. I sit back and blink. But my heart is still throbbing.

Of course he had done it. Don't they always? Everything I loved gets taken. It's a rule. Never attach yourself to anything. I read over the red lines once more. I was going to kill him. I was. I should have. He was lying there in the hospital bed. Didn't he know the fence was electric? But he kept going. He must have wanted out very bad...

I had the euthanizer needle in my hand. I could've done it, for all he'd done to me. But I wouldn't. But now I will.

The red lines seep their color into my heart. I can feel the anger bubbling up behind me again. He and Gwen. Red. He and that stupid girl. Hatred. He took himself from me and now he's taking her too. Fire. Just when I was ready to redo it all. Pain. He took it all. He took himself, and now Gwen. Just like my daughter. Just like Gwen's mother did to me.

Red flaming hatred fueled by pain. I would do it now. I wouldn't order everyone else out of the room. I wouldn't listen to the beeping of all the machines and quietly, weakly lay down my needle. I'd do it this time. And I felt a hand on my shoulder.

It was her. Quietly, she'd snuck up on me. She always sneaks up on me. Even in this darkness she's beautiful. She's 16, same age as Gwen. Her black hair hangs long and her blue eyes smile. She smiles. She smiles at me. I close my eyes in relish, and I feel her hand depart from my shoulder, feels like mist leaving. I open my eyes and she's fading again. Like a ghost.

But she's not a ghost. My daughter is alive. She should be. But no, Chris, she is. In your mind. I close my eyes again. Picture her. I will. There she is again. As beautiful as in person. And then she's changing. Her eyes are black instead of blue, her hair is short and dyed blue and green. Gwen. It could work. She really does look like her.

But it can't work, because Duncan comes and he picks her up and they're over the fence and running. And she smiles at him. Like she should smile at me. And her eyes sparkle. Like they should for me. And she loves him. Like she should love me.

I stand up. Oh yes, this time, I will do it. He won't mess it up again. He won't take anything else from me.

* * *

**Gwen's POV **

Duncan's eyes widen. "What?"

I bite my lip. Half of me wants to say I'm joking. "I want to get out of here."

"Are you joking?" Duncan asks.

I shake my head.

Duncan takes a deep breath. "No."

"What?" Now it's my turn to be shocked. I can feel my heart speed up. Why would he say no?

"You can't get out Gwen." He closes his eyes as he speaks. "It's impossible. I told you, I tried."

"I'm not going to stop because it's hard." My voice rises a bit, but I'm not sure why. "I'm going with or without you!"

"Gwen, no. I said no. It's not possible. You'll get caught." Duncan's voice is so quiet I can hardly hear him.

"So what? I'll try again. They caught me before."

"Yeah, and look what happened. They hit you!" Duncan's voice rises too. "You keep getting caught and you'll get what happened to me!"

"I don't care, I'm going." I try to stand, but Duncan grabs my arm.

"No, you're not." He gives me a glare.

I jump up and shout at him. "Why are you so bent on stopping me!?"

Duncan stands up, an exasperated look on his face. "God Gwen! Don't make me say it!" He shouts, pushing his hands through his hair. "They'll hurt you! I won't let that happen!"

I'm caught off guard. Duncan won't meet my eyes. And I remember what happened to him and Courtney. "Oh." I murmur. I sink back onto the bed. I'm such an _idiot. _

I don't know what to say now. A tense silence fills the room.

"Will Duncan please see Chris Mclean in his office immediately?" I jump when Blaineley's voice comes on the intercom.

Duncan looks up, confused. "What do they want me for?"

"They didn't hear us, did they?" I'm worried.

"No, they don't have cameras in the rooms." Duncan answers. "Just the halls." He walks over to the door and I jump again when he opens it. Chef is standing there. Of course Chris wouldn't let Duncan go without and escort. But now I'm really worried. I think of my bruise and Duncan's scars. "Duncan, wait!" I run over to him. And hug him. I wrap my arms around him and hold him tight. Chef's too busy watching the curious spectacle to notice me nudge a pen into the doorframe with my foot. I let go of Duncan and step back. he looks confused. "Uh...good luck." I say as I fake-punch him on the chin.

"Ok?" Duncan gives me a puzzled look and walks back out the door with Chef.

Okay, yes, I looked like a fool back there. But it got me what I wanted. Chef closes the door, which I guess locks automatically, and the pen keeps it from shutting all the way. I wait ten seconds for good measure, then quietly slip out after them. They are rounding a corner at one end of the hall. Good. They didn't see me. I look toward the other end of the hall. And there's an open window. AN OPEN WINDOW. No. It can't be this easy. It has to be a trap. I walk over and look out of it.

It gets better. the window opens past that stupid fence. I won't have to scale it. Below the window is a dumpster full of trash that would cushion my fall. No way. I'm not that lucky. It has to be a trick. Has to be. I look at the area around the dumpster. No trip wires, no cameras, no intern-bots. Its...perfect. But it can't be. I can't just jump out the window, land in the dumpster, and run off. There has to be something wrong. Has to be something that doesn't go right. Something that I have to figure out myself. That just doesn't happen. Things like this don't just _happen. _

But there it is, right in front of me. Perfect. How? Maybe Duncan insisted that Chef open a window? Maybe D.J. had something to do with it? Maybe Blaineley or Chef felt sorry for me? I don't know. I don't care. This is it. I'm going home.

But Duncan. I'm still worried about him. What if something happens?

But the window. Home. This is it. The window won't stay open forever. This is my last chance. It won't happen again.

I don't even waste time arguing with myself. I'm going after Duncan. I turn away from the window with a heavy heart but I don't look back. I think of my sick brother and my frail mother and tears come to me eyes. But I don't look back. I'll get Duncan and then I'll go home. That's that. I'll make him go. I don't care if the window is closed when I come back. We'll think of something else. Of course I'll go home. But first I'm going after Duncan. And I don't look back.

* * *

_**WOO! I think I've finally started getting my schedule under control. I'll update more regularly and sooner from now on. **_


	10. Mental Maze

**Chris' POV**

I stared at the screen, my eyes fixed on Gwen leaning out the window. This was the test. I had intern-bots at the ready if she jumped. Another hand on my shoulder, more solid this time. Blaineley. She's looking at the screen with me. She'll be there for me, and for Gwen. Unlike Gwen's traitorous mother. Blaineley will be a good mother.

And then suddenly my daughter is standing there as well. She's looking over too. And Gwen turns away. She turns away. Gwen didn't take the bate. She didn't leave. She's going _back_? Could...could it be true? Does she finally _want _to stay here? The hand on my shoulder fades, but my daughter doesn't disappear. She looks down at me. And smiles. And nods.

There is a knock on the door. My daughter fades away again. Chef's here, leading Duncan. I turn away form the cameras at the same time as Blaineley. Time to put my life back together.

**Gwen's POV **

I run down the hall, trying to make as little noise as I can. My mind keeps pointing me back to the window, or rather, something I noticed about the window. I turn the corner Chef and Duncan just rounded, and it's hits me. I almost fall over. Cameras. The window didn't have cameras. Duncan said there were cameras in the halls. I'm in the halls.

I slap a hand to my mouth, and I can feel my face pale. I press my back against the wall and inch myself along, so I can just see around the bend. Nothing. No intern-bots. What? Chris wouldn't set an alarm off, but he'd send someone after me, right? Was it possible that no one was watching the cameras? I listen, straining my ears. I can't hear anything. Chris _is _talking with Duncan, so maybe there isn't anyone at the cameras.

I keep going. I was never going to stop. But now I'll have to be twice as watchful. I'll just make sure Chris isn't going to do anything to Duncan, then I'll run back to our room and pack a bag to escape. I'm getting out of here. Tonight.

I keep running, but I lost sight of Chef and Duncan awhile ago. There are two passage ways, and doors going everywhere. I don't remember any of this. But I remember Blaineley taking me down a flight of stairs. I take the corridor going straight, because I don't remember turning anywhere last time. Sure enough, I pass a glass door that opens onto a set of stairs. The white walls and bright lights of this place remind me of a mental institution. Creepy.

I take the stairs, pausing before I enter to listen for intern-bots. Nothing. I go to the bottom of the stairs, repeating my mad dash of two days ago. Was it only two days? I take the door at the bottom of the stairs and run out into the hall. But there are two passage ways. The way to my right goes through sets of white doors like mine and Duncan's, probably where I met the blonde couple and Courtney. The way to my left goes a short while without any doors, then ends in a single swinging one. The way to my right can't possibly be the way to Chris's office. I take the left.

The smell of baby powder hits me before I even open the door. Baby powder and medicine. This must be one of the rooms they took me through my first day here. The one with the crying baby. I dash in without thinking and stop short. Intern-bots with motherly faces and pink aprons are handling naked babies. Girls with swelled bellies lie on medical tables or sit in chairs, reading Chris magazines. Or they had been, but now they're all staring at me.

I fake a cough, thinking fast. "Um, I have a fever"- Cough- "And this pesky"- Cough- "coughing won't go away."

One of the intern-bots rolls over to me on it's wheels. I didn't know the girl bots had wheels. "Anti-cough syrup is located in the Medicine Room, Cabinet A, Shelf 5. Anti-fever cream is located in the Medicine Room, Cabinet C, Shelf 8." The intern-bot instructs me in a staticy recorded voice that sounds a lot like Blaineley's.

I nod, giving off a fake smile, and walk into a room with "Medicine Room" painted on the door in red letters. Another person is already in there. A small boy, with a brown bowl cut, is prodding through a white cabinet with a red Z. He turns to me as I enter and flashes a gap-toothed smile.

"hi, I'm Cody!" He greets cheerily. "I'm helping out with medicine today while Sierra's baby is being born." I fake another smile, though I'm actually disturbed. Do they really talk about this stuff so openly? I look up again, realizing Cody has said something to me.

"Huh? Can you repeat that?" I shake my head to clear it.

"I said, you must be new." Cody repeats. "Because I haven't seen you before."

"Um, yeah, just got here." I explain. "I'm Gwen." I don't know what makes me give Cody my name, but he looks trustworthy. Beside him is a stack of off-white satchels with red medical crosses on them. "Can...can I have one of those?"

Cody looks puzzled. "Um, sure. But they're empty."

"Oh, that's ok." I pick one up and turn to the cabinets. "I just need to take some stuff up to my room."

Cody turns back to the bundle of bandages he'd been stacking. I open cabinet A and gasp. I glance over at Cody, but he must not have heard. There are more bottles of medicine in here than I've ever seen. Maybe some of this stuff could fix my brother. But I need to get rid of Cody before I can raid the cabinets.

"Hey, Cody." I say, turning to him. "I think I heard someone calling your name. It sounded like Sierra."

Cody's eyes light up. "What? Already!?" He smiles and runs from the room, not realizing that if I was new I'd have no idea who Sierra was or what she sounded like.

I turn back to the cabinets and toss anything that looks useful into the bag. Bandages, gauze, headache pills, Anti-fever cream, Anti-cough syrup, medicine for aches and dizziness and low blood sugar, all manner of things to treat cuts and stop bleeding, and antibiotics. Even energy bars, which I throw in for food, and an electronic blanket, which I also take. The satchel is full before I finish with cabinet F. I pick up two other satchels and fill the first one with everything else, even nasal spray. I can't resist. This could keep my family in comfort for years. I'm halfway through the first satchel and finishing with cabinet T when Cody comes back.

"Weird, she wasn't calling me-" Cody stops short when he sees me. I keep filling the bag, I can't afford to stop. "What are you doing!?"Cody hisses at me. I'm on Cabinet W and not stopping. "You're going to get me in trouble!" He yelps.

"You can tell them I stole all this!" I reply. I won't be here to take the wrap for it. I'm halfway through cabinet Z, not even reading labels anymore.

"But why?!" Cody's bewilderment shows plainly. I finish with cabinet Z and hoist the two almost full satchels on my shoulders, and take three others with me, for clothes and food. I exit the room without answering Cody's question, and leave him looking from the cabinets to me, extremely distraught.

I duck past the intern-bots, who take no notice of me, and disappear out the door opposite the one through which I entered. Another long hall stretches before me, lined with white doors. Wait, Chris's office is at the top of an elevator, right? I just need to find it. But I didn't go through the Baby Powder Room last time. I run to the end of the hall, which ends in another door. past this door is another hall. I can't keep wandering in this maze! I need to find the elevator before something bad happens to Duncan!

And then, right behind me, one of the white doors opens.


	11. Questions

One of the white doors behind me opens. I whirl around and drop the bags. That red head, Zoey, is standing there, looking a bit confused and surprised.

"Uh, hi." She tries.

I go along. "Hi. Where are you going?"

"Um, just to get some more shampoo. And you?" She rubs her neck awkwardly.

I can tell she's trying to be friendly. "Actually, I'm looking for Chris's office. Can you point me in the right direction?" I try to act casual, like I'm supposed to have two bags of stolen medicine on my back.

But the way Zoey's eyes widen tells me it was the wrong thing to say. "What are you going to Chris for?"

"Uh...I have to tell him something. Do you know where he is?" I smile as much as I can.

"Mike?" Zoey calls back over her shoulder into the open door way.

For a second I think she's turning me in, and almost run. But a tan guy with spikey brown hair comes, smiling, looking nice enough. Mike?

"Do you know the way to Chris's office?" Zoey asks him. They don't know the way?

"No, sorry." Mike actually sounds genuinely sorry. "But Trent might. He's been there once. I could get him for you." Before I can say anything, Mike disappears into the room again.

I peer through the doorway and see him go over to a phone. A phone? One of the luxuries not afforded to me and Duncan? Mike talks on it for a while, then hangs up and comes out again.

"Trent said he'll be right over." Mike tells me cheerfully. "why don't you wait inside?"

I take up the offer only because I'd rather not stand around in the halls. It could be a Courtney finding me instead of a Zoey next time. Mike leads me into his room. Duncan was right, the other's are better. The window is larger, the walls are green, the TV is bigger, there's a phone, and more magazines. The bed is bigger and has plaid blankets. And of course, there's a phone. And, hanging on a hook, a key. I would ask what it's for, but that would probably seem suspicious. The TV is on, showing a deer frolicking through a meadow until a bear comes and...I turn away.

Mike sits down on the couch. A couch too? I follow.

"How far away is Trent?" I'm getting a little antsy about Duncan.

"Not far, he'll be here soon." Mike smiles. "So are you new?"

I nod. It must be a tight woven place here. "That's why Chris needs to see me."

"Oh. Who's your partner?"

It seems a natural enough question, but of course it's complicated. If I tell him it's Duncan...Does everyone know what he did. But I can't say anyone else. I only Know D.J. and apparently Trent, and it'd be obvious if I wasn't there partner. "Duncan." I answer, cringing slightly.

Mike starts a little, but smiles politely. "Duncan? Oh, good. He's nice..."

"Hey, what's up?" A new voice comes through the door and in walks who must be Trent. And it's also the guy who was with Courtney.

I can tell he recognizes me, but thank god he doesn't say a word. "You must be Trent." I say, standing and holding out my hand.

"Yep, nice to meet you...?" He raises his eyebrows expectantly.

"Gwen." I answer. "I'm Gwen."

Trent takes my hand and shakes it, not even giving me secretive look, not even hinting that we've met. "I take it you're the one who needs Chris?"

"Yeah, it's me. I need to check in with him...since I'm new." I smile again.

"Sure, I know where he is." Trent says. "I'll walk you over."

"Thanks." I reply as we walk out the door.

We turn a corner and he stops. I stop too and look back at him. "What?"

"You tell me." Trent folds his arms. He doesn't look mad, or even unfriendly.

"W-what do you mean?" I stutter out. I'm thinking fast, thinking of some lie.

"What's going on?" He asks, raising one eyebrow. He still doesn't look the least bit mad. "First time I see you, you run into my room and shout 'hide me!' and then I see you here with two medicine bags, fully stocked, and heading to Chris's office. I'm not dumb. What's going on?"

"I'm taking this medicine to Chris." I answer quickly. Too quickly. "I tried to run away, because I...accidently broke one of Chris's favorite pictures...and I was afraid of getting in trouble. So I needed to hide. And now I have to haul these bags up to Chris...as punishment."

It's a feeble lie at best. But it's all I can do under the circumstances.

Trent nods once, slowly. "Okay, that's not the truth. But, I take it you really do need to see Chris and he doesn't like to be kept waiting. So I'll figure you out later. What's your number?"

I sigh, but if I withhold anything it'll look worse. "X-13."

"No, your phone number. I'll call you."

"I don't have a phone in my room." I mumble. Here we go. "I'm Duncan's partner."

Trent's eyebrows both rise. "Okay. But you're not getting out of it that easy. I'll come visit you guys. Just let me know when you're not going to be having-"

"ANYTIME'S FINE!" I blurt before he can finish the sentence.

He looks at me oddly. "Okay."

I rub my arm nervously. "Can you show me to Chris's office now? I don't want to keep him waiting."

* * *

**Blaineley's POV **

Of course Chris sent me out of his office. Just when things were starting to get interesting. He didn't even want Chef around for his "precious moment" with Duncan. Ridiculous. I bet he can't wait to get Duncan out of the way. Oh well, sooner that's over with, sooner we can get back to..._our room_.

And Chris's stupid daughter! He talks about her all the time! Come on, she's _D__EAD_! Get over it! He can be so ignorant. At least he pays well and he's good in bed. But then again, so is Chef. I prefer to call him Mr. Hatchet. It sounds like I'm not sharing nights with a greasy prison cook. Oh wait.

But Chef can't pay. Chris Pays. That's the way to get a woman on your arm. The only way he can get Gwen on his side is to give her cash. But no way I'll tell him that. He'll take it from _my _paycheck!

And Gwen's another thing! He sends me to take care of her and chaperone her scrawny little butt everywhere! Do you have any idea how many _bruises _I have!? She pushed me down the effing stairs! He's mad if he thinks I'll actually be Gwen's new _mother_. Oh yeah, Mrs. Mommy Blaineley and Good Old Uncle Chef! I work too hard on my body to risk it for some old kid! That's why Chris waited so long to get Gwen. He thought he could talk me into... _having a baby_!

And Chef! Ugh, his hands are about as soft as sandpaper! He'll scratch me up after one hour! And he _smells_. I wouldn't take it if it wasn't for the few extra bits. And hiding it from Chris is the worst part! It's so tiring having to get rid of so many wrappers and make it seem like my underwear were in that place the last night he was in my room.

And now Chris is making me wait out here at this stupid desk like a secretary! I grab my nail file and scrub my nails furiously. The things a woman has to do for a few jewels!

* * *

**Duncan's POV **

Chef walks me past the desk where Blaineley's filing her nails. He passes her a wink, and she gives him a smile.

Eh, I knew they were knocking around since I was 14. I coulda told Chris, but what good would it do to make him madder than he normally is?

Chef breaks my thoughts by knocking on Chris's door, and suddenly my heart's beating faster. Being around Chris since...well, it's always been tense. And now he called me to his office. It can't be good. Unless he's apologizing and wants to move me and Gwen into a better room.

Gwen. My heart jumps to my throat. I have to be careful. If I give away anything about her plans...she'll be... Don't think it! I bet Chris can read minds! I smile a little at the thought, until I hear Chris say "Come in!"

His voice makes me shiver. I haven't heard it since...since...and it's back and flashing into my head just like when Gwen asked me. The fence, the hospital, the outer yard, the whip. Chris is watching. He's bringing his fist down. "Skin him!" his words echo in my mind even after I chase the thought away. No big deal. Never liked Chris anyway.

Gwen. I like Gwen fine though. Yeah, focus on her. Wait, no, don't! Um...D.J.'s food! Yeah, I like D.J.'s food! Think about that instead. Can't let Chris know...

Chef opens the door to Chris's office and shoves me in. I almost hit my head on the desk. Bet Chris woulda liked that. Gwen wouldn't have...D.J.'s cooking! Hot buttery rolls...muffins...fish...fishy how I'm acting. He'll find it fishy. Because I'm trying to hide- D.J.'s one great cook!

"Well, welcome Duncan." Chris greets me.

I don't need to try and steer my thoughts anymore because Chris's voice halts any that try to push through.

"How are you doing?" Chris is seated at his desk, his hands folded.

I shiver. "F-fine." Knowing you got Chris mad and meeting him face to face when he probably was were two different things. But he doesn't have to know that. So I fold my arms and sneer.

"How are you liking our new arrangement?" Chris smiled, as if it's a good thing I'm stuck in that dumb room.

"It's fine." I keep my voice a monotone.

"And Gwen?" Chris looks at me, but I avoid his eyes by staring at his hands.

"She's fine." I'm uncomfortable like this. I feel like I shouldn't say anything about Gwen. I look away from Chris and at the rest of the room. It's well-lit and I can see a filing cabinet, a window (shades down, of course), and a fireplace full of ashes and...Is that glass?

"And is Gwen doing what she's _supposed_ to do?" Chris's emphasis on the word "Supposed" makes his meaning clear.

_No, _I think, _She's not sleeping with me_. "Of course she is." Is what I actually say.

"Ah! Fours syllables this time!" Chris smiles delightedly and makes a note on a pad in red pen. Then he looks back up at me and folds his hands again. What is it with the hand-folding? "You know I gave her to you for a very special reason."

I nod and grunt. Even though the "Special reason" is that I got caught and she's new.

"She's a very special girl." Chris continues.

"Sure." I reply. _Yes, yes she is. _I can't help but think.

Chris look into my eyes this time, and I feel like I can't look away. Like he's forcing me to stare into them. So he can read my mind. I fidget uncomfortably. Oh no. I blew it.

"Does she like you?" Chris stands up and begins to slowly pace back and forth behind his desk. The gaze is broken, and that's a relief, but the pacing's almost worse.

I shiver again. At his voice and the question. "Don't know. Ask her." I say stiffly.

"She seems to trust you." Chris continues.

I wanna ask him how he knows that. But I don't say anything.

"You know, Duncan," Chris pushes on, "I want Gwen to like me too."

I put my feet up on Chris's desk. Anything to stop him being so calm and cool. It's freaky. Get in and out of here. "Who's stopping you?"

"I believe you are, Duncan." Chris fixes me in an almost angry stare.

That's enough to make me put my feet down. "What?" Get In and Out, Duncan. In and out.

"Oh yes," Chris replies. He resumes pacing, trailing one pinky finger along the desktop. "I'm afraid you are. This is, of course, deeply regrettable." Chris's fingers stop and hover over a needle poised on the edge of the desk. It's filled with translucent green liquid.

I can feel my eyes widen. What's he gonna do? What's he gonna _do_? In and Out. If I can.

"But you can help me, Duncan." Chris turns to me, but his fingers stay above the needle. Stop being so creepy! Let go of that dang needle! And for Christ's sake stop saying my _effing name_!

"How?" I don't even realize I've said it and I'm already wishing I hadn't soon as I start talking. So I do the next best thing and keep my eyes down, acting uninterested.

Chris is silent a moment. His fingers twitch above the needle. Something happens to his face, like it changes for a second, like he almost feels something. Almost. And his hands leave the needle.

I exhale. Didn't even realize I was holding my breath. And I swallow, too.

"I need information." Chris finally says. "About Gwen. About her whereabouts. About what she does, what she says, what she likes, and what she _plans_."

And my thoughts are just a mess of oh gawd I did it I blew it I messed up it's over I'm sorry Gwen what'll they do to you oh gawd I'm so sorry! because he's read my mind. I know it right from the way he says "plans". He's gone and seen it in my thoughts and I've gone and killed Gwen.

I killed Gwen.

Oh gawd.

But Chris is still leaning over me despite how he must be hearing all of this and he's expecting a response too.

So I sit up a little straighter and hunch my shoulders.

"I ain't saying nothin'!"


End file.
